Page 56 of French Escapade

Ted doesn’t talk before we reach the car.

“I wanted to strangle him too,” he confesses. “However, it would have been pointless to ruffle his feathers.”

“Yes, but—”

Ted cuts me off again. “As far as Élodie’s career is concerned, don’t worry. I have friends in the local press. If they put it all on her, and if she wants me to, I can make sure that they tell the story as it really happened.”

“Good to know,” I answer. I feel better thinking that she’ll have a chance to keep her job.

“What do we do now?” Jimmy asks from the back seat of the car.

“Now we’re going to seeyourÉlodie, who’s waiting for uschez Josette,and we’re going to prepare a new plan,” Ted answers.

“But we’re fresh out of leads.” The despair in Jimmy’s voice echoes what I feel.

“We’ll find one,” Ted says with assurance. “A guy like Arkady can’t be loved by everyone around here. Someone who climbed up the ladder so fast must have stepped on some toes, and jealous guys talk…I’m optimistic we’ll get a new lead.”

I hope he’s right.

For Madison and Tiffany.

FormyÉlodie as well.

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